


Behind the Waterfall

by Daerwyn



Series: A Collection of Drabbles by Helmaninquiel [33]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Waterfall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-10
Updated: 2015-11-10
Packaged: 2018-04-30 22:17:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5181713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daerwyn/pseuds/Daerwyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Drabble Games:<br/>"Wait, are you jealous?”, “You did all of this for me?” and “I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Behind the Waterfall

The beautiful elf maiden detached herself from Aragorn’s arm, and your stomach sank as you saw her lean up and press her lips to the shell of his ear. As you had often dreamed of doing. But the sight pained you so much, that you glanced away and fought the tears in your eyes. Why did you have to love him? Why did he have to be the one with which you dreamt of being able to hold the way she did?

Aragorn seemed to have been parted from, as he was approaching. “Y/N, what have you done here?”

“You gave me a list of things to do today, and while I’m not a servant, I believe, Lord Aragorn, that it was something a friend would do for another.”

“But this is… much more than I thought it would be.”

He hated it. There was one thing about Aragorn, he was kind and he was polite. You had learned it when you saw someone give him an unintentional insult, and he’d just smile as if it went over his head. Or if something was not favorable to him, such as attending to a matter that was particularly displeasing, his jaw would set, but he would do so without complaint.

“I apologize,” you began, still not facing him entirely. He stepped beside you as you continued to absently place silverware at the table fit for two guests. “I will remove what it is you deem unnecessary before Lady Arwen returns. I just need to fetch a packing crate-”

Aragorn caught your wrist as you turned, nearly knocking into the finely decorated table that you had spent the last few hours of your life preparing. “ **Wait** ,” Aragorn said softly. “ **Are you jealous?** ”

“What is there to be jealous about, my Lord Aragorn?” you returned evenly, but you did not look back at him for fear he’d see the tears in your eyes. “If you’ll kindly release me, I would like to go finish preparing the tables to your liking as requested.”

“I didn’t…” Aragorn released your wrist, and you hesitated a second as he began again. “I did not give you the list so that you could finish them yourself. I did it to distract you, give you something to watch over while I did my own preparations-” You were confused, and turned slightly, so that he could see the tears that still swam in your eyes. “Oh… Y/N,” he sighed, and reached for you, but you stiffened and stepped back marginally. “I did not think you would take it so seriously. But I… I should have had a hint. **I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice.** ”

Your heart seemed to stutter, and you quickly cleared your throat, refusing to let the blush coat your cheeks. “Forgive me, Lord Aragorn, for that was uncalled for. I know my place. I’ll be taking my leave, and I’m sorry for any offense I may have caused-”

You had made it to the doorway by the time he grabbed your wrist again. “Wait… Do not run from me. Please, let me show you what I have been doing all day, and hopefully you will forgive me for my lack of tact earlier, and my apparent disregard for your hard work.”

Curiosity outburned the embarrassment and humiliation. “If you do not care for my hard work, then why should I care for yours?”

“A valid point, and one that I assure you will be put to rest… Hopefully.” You swallowed, eyeing him distrustfully, before giving a small nod. He seemed relieved. “And then we will return here for lunch, just you and I.”

“You need not indulge me for my feelings, Lord Aragorn,” you said smoothly as you began to understand what this was about. “You did not cause me that much offense with insinuating you did not like the decorum-”

Aragorn was silent a moment, before he sighed. “Perhaps I should start this conversation over. May I escort you to a different location to show you something?”

You frowned slightly, but gave a slow nod. And he gave you a pleased smile, taking your arm and tucking it into his own. “Is something wrong, Lord Aragorn?”

“No, I should think not.” He led you down the hall of the Rivendell building and out onto a stairwell, where he continued to lead you towards the water. “Lady Arwen and I are no more than friends, just as we have been.”

“I would not call the kiss she gave you that of mere friends,” you remarked carefully.

“Kiss?” Aragorn looked confused. “There was no kiss.”

“Before she left just a few minutes ago-”

“She reminded me of something so that you would not overhear. Final preparations.”

“Preparations?” you echoed skeptically. “Are you leaving Rivendell once more? Riding north?” And no matter how hurt you had been, you were healing at a remarkable rate, your heart now aching with the possibility he would be leaving. “You can’t leave, not so soon. You just returned.”

“I’m not leaving,” Aragorn said, but there was a hint of a smile to it as well. “Simply plotting away.” Plotting? But he stopped suddenly, and the hem of your skirt became soaked with water as it dipped off of the platform you were standing on.

Glancing down, you saw a small boat strung to the side. “You tied up a boat? I suppose congratulations are in order-”

He laughed and you found yourself giving him a small smile, but he stepped into the boat, holding out a hand to you. “Not quite. I’ll be untying it soon enough, if you’ll get in.”

You let out a sigh, but took his hand and stepped carefully into the boat. It wobbled precariously, but once you were seated, it did not seem like you were going to fall in. And you watched silently as Aragorn untied the boat and reached for an oar, before pushing off. The river that ran through Rivendell was not deep, but it was strong, and he put forth a great deal of effort as he began to push the boat upstream.

“Where are we going, Lord Aragorn?” you asked carefully.

“You may call me only Aragorn,” he said as he gave a particularly harsh jab with the oar, sending the boat jolting forward. It was not the smoothest ride, and your expression told him as much as he glanced to you. “It’s much easier to take the boat back to Rivendell, I assure you,” he began. You didn’t doubt that for a second. But the answer to your question never came as he guided the boat towards the waterfall.

The mist from the tumbling water hit your skin the closer you became, and the silken gown seemed to cling to your body in a very unelven fashion. Aragorn’s loose waves were soaked by the time he guided you past the rapids and into the hidden alcove behind. Your jaw dropped as you spotted the cave that lay hidden, with candles lit in every hidden corner, vanishing all shadows.

And as the boat hit shallow land, Aragorn stepped out, offering you a hand once more. You accepted it, in disbelief. “What is all this?”

“What your distraction was giving me time to prepare,” Aragorn admitted. “It took an entire two trips up-river to get everything here.” You giggled, not feeling entirely sorry for his efforts. “I hope you like it.”

Why should it matter what you liked? But slowly you came to realize this wasn’t just some hidden cave he had discovered and wanted to decorate before showing you, one of his good friends. It was a gift for you. Something he had done solely for you. “ **You did all of this for me?** ” you murmured, glancing to him.

“I have come to see you as far more than just a formidable ally to have,” Aragorn spoke softly. “While ruthless in your revenge – I fear Elladan has still yet to recover from his fear of centipedes-” The reminder of your childhood prank made you giggle. “Your heart is the truest I have yet to have the privilege of seeing shine.” He reached for you, taking both of your hands with his. “While I have come to believe that you care for me as more than just a friend, I did not want to hope it to be true without confessing that I, myself, feel the same.”

You felt tears gather in your eyes for an entirely different reason than they had in the banquet room of Rivendell. “Oh, Aragorn-”

“I only hope you feel the same.”

“You should never have doubted it,” you answered quietly. “Of course I have. I do not just hang around with arrogant, yet polite men, merely because their company keeps me young. If anything, you do quite the opposite. I fear that by the time you’re eighty, I’ll be nothing but dust.”

“Considering I’m only sixty now, I doubt that will be so.” You agreed with a small laugh. “I would be honored if you could consider calling me a suitor.”

You bit your lip, pulling him closer. “The honor would be mine, my Lord.”

“A heart as pure as yours should have at least had to think about caring for a man like me.”

“Believe me, I’ve had ten years of thinking of you,” you returned. “I do not need to worry about any tainting of a heart so pure.” He chuckled and his hands released yours, gently cupping your cheeks, before he met your lips. And the crashing of the waterfall, the gentle glow of the candles, and the uneven terrain under your feet all disappeared as you closed your eyes, and gave him back exactly what he was giving you.


End file.
